The presently disclosed subject matter relates to a biological information monitoring apparatus which measures biological information of the subject, and which includes a display that displays the measurement value of the biological information.
As an apparatus of this kind is an apparatus in which the concentration of a predetermined gas (carbon dioxide, oxygen, a volatile anesthetic agent, or the like) contained in the expired gas of the subject is measured as biological information by a sensor, and the measurement value is displayed on a display (for example, see JP-T-2010-508523 and JP-A-2000-245711).
In a sensor, the measurement accuracy may be sometimes lowered over time by various causes, and therefore calibration must be performed at an adequate timing. In an apparatus of this kind, when a given requirement is satisfied (for example, in activation of the apparatus, or elapse of a prescribed time period from a previous calibration process), the operation mode is automatically shifted to a mode in which a calibration process is performed. During a period when a calibration process is performed, biological information cannot be measured, and therefore the portion in which the biological information is to be displayed is set to a state where a measurement value is not displayed (for example, “- - -” is displayed) (hereinafter, the state is referred to as the measurement value non-displayed state).
From the standpoint of the observer monitoring biological information, it is often that the shifting to the calibration mode cannot be expected. Furthermore, the time period required for calibration is different in each case. Therefore, waiting for the end of the calibration process in which the end of the process is not known, and which is performed in the state measurement value non-displayed state causes the observer to have serious stress. In the case where such a monitoring apparatus is used for monitoring the condition of the patient under surgery, moreover, waiting for the end of the calibration process causes the working efficiency of the surgery personnel to be lowered.